Camille Pape/Daily Emerald
Over the past couple of months, I’ve recently gotten back into therapy to help deal with some emotional baggage – most of which developed from playing competitive soccer when I was growing up.
Being in a constant competitive nature, I noticed, increased my anxious tendencies to perform and excel at all the things I do even if no one is really expecting that of me anymore.
UO junior Keila Barton shared what it was like for her dealing with the aftermath of athletic competition.
“I used to believe that if I didn’t play basketball in college, I wouldn’t amount to anything. That mindset made the sport feel like a burden instead of something I loved. After tearing my meniscus and going through three surgeries, I lost the joy that once came with it and focused only on what it could get me,” Barton said.
The glorification of being an athlete has only escalated more with growing leagues and evolving uses of social media increasing the entertainment value of professional sports. It’s no surprise that rising athletes feel burdened when things don’t completely work out due to comparing themselves to “elite” athletes nowadays.
I discussed with UO senior Brandon Phillips how a winning mentality has affected his mental health.
“I feel like I’m a super competitive individual and always felt like I had to win to be satisfied with anything in my day-to-day life. I realized that kind of mindset really messed with my head and made sports less fun because I dreaded the possibility of something not going my way,” Phillips said.
For some, growing up as an athlete with instilled competitiveness and hunger for success doesn’t disappear.
According to the National Library of Medicine, “While midlife former competitive athletes experienced many benefits from sport… They also faced unique challenges transitioning to life after sport that impacted their long-term health and well-being. Physical challenges included managing prior injuries and psychosocial challenges included a changed identity…”
Though not every athlete is the same, there aren’t many discussions about how competitive sports can directly affect mental health.
Luckily, reframing the aspect that sports can primarily be about having fun and encouraging us to move our bodies helps improve such emotional burden. I’ve been able to utilize intramural sports here at UO to aid in this shift.
“Intramural sports helped me shift my perspective and reminded me that competition can be about connection and enjoyment rather than pressure,” Barton said.
“Playing intramural sports helped me relax and enjoy competitiveness in healthier ways – helping me realize that I play because I actually enjoy the game, not for the outcome,” Phillips said.
To learn more about what intramural sports are available this upcoming school year and when, visit UO’s PE and Rec website for more information.
Although competitive sports continue to become a form of commodity, its roots can always be connected to participating in activities for personal health and social connections.